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Systems Alliance Vehicles
A list of spacecraft, aircraft and vehicles currently used by the Systems Alliance military. Large Spacecraft Classes of starships currently in service with the Alliance Navy. Dreadnoughts Everest: 'The oldest class of dreadnought in ongoing service, the ''Everest was a testimony to, and a celebrated symbol of, human progress on the galactic stage, being the first human-designed and -operated dreadnought class. 888 metres long, with a main spinal gun length of 800 metres, the Everest once had little to fear. Considered a prestigious posting, a billet on an Everest was once highly sought after, despite the cramped, poorly sound-proofed living quarters far too close to the main gun battery for comfort. After the introduction of the Kilimanjaro class the Everest class began to be staged out, but the Reaper War led to postponement of their replacement. 'Kilimanjaro: '''The ''Kilimanjaro dreadnought was built with all the lessons from the Everest in mind. That said, it's not considerably more comfortable for its crew despite its increased size. In addition to its main gun battery, the Kilimanjaro carried 156 broadside guns, each 40% of the ship's worth and a considerable amount of subcraft. The crowning jewel of Alliance aerospace engineering, the Kilimanjaro found itself out-gunned by the Reapers and made vulnerable by their knife-fight tactics, once thought impossible for capital ships. There is currently a proposal before the Admiralty to improve the class' knife-fight capability by replacing its broadsides with thanix cannons and adding extra thrusters, but it is generally acknowledged that to eliminate the weakness would mean re-engineering the entire design with construction technology that currently does not exist. Regardless, the class acquitted itself well in the Eden Prime and Reaper Wars and is generally considered sufficient at its role. Carriers 'Zheng He: '''A second generation design, the ''Zheng He class has been in service for thirteen years. At close to a kilometre long, it carries a crew of five thousand, not including embarked Marines. The vessel has a dual purpose, firstly deploying large amounts of fighters and mechs to harrass enemies and screen friendly ships, and secondly as an integral part of the Alliance's blitzreig assault doctrine, able to transport battalions of Marines and their equipment to battle and then sit in orbit as a mobile control and command centre. Due to its size and lack of weapons beyond defensive GARDIAN batteries, the Zheng He is vulnerable in ship to ship combat. 'Al-Kindi: '''With a smaller hull and a more compact hull, the ''Al-Kindi is a highly mobile attack craft, deploying fighters and mechs to conduct reconnaissance and harrass enemy fleets, allowing allied fleets to close and engage. While still vulnerable to anti-ship fire, it boasts the latest GARDIAN defence systems and a complement of anti-ship Thanix missiles. Presently, the class' namesake is nearing completion of shakedown runs and two others are close to completion. Due to its size, more comparable to that of a heavy cruiser than a true capital ship, the Al-Kindi doesn't have the transport capability of the Zheng He. Therefore it is expected to serve in a reconnaissance and escort role for its sister class. Cruisers 'Dresden: '''The ''Dresden Heavy Cruiser is a stalwart of the Alliance Navy, a tried and tested vessel that has participated in pirate suppression campaigns, the Skyllian Blitz and numerous engagements during the Eden Prime and Reaper Wars. Heavily armed and armoured, with a 540 metre main gun, two 480 metre mass accelerators and forty-six 45 metre broadsides, the Dresden is called in whenever a situation requires considerable firepower. The Dresden is 600 metres long, with a crew of seven hundred. 'Toyko: '''The ''Tokyo Class Cruiser is far more lightly armed and armoured when compared to the Dresden, with two 490m mass accelerator cannons and thirty-eight 30m broadsides. While the first vessels of the class had significant (and embarrassing) technical issues involving their automation systems, the Tokyo has become a workhorse of the SAN, patrolling the edges of Alliance space and engaging pirates. The SSV Tokyo itself is somewhat of a symbol, with a rich operational history, including command by the then Captain Anderson, and the most confirmed kills of any vessel in the Alliance Fleet. The class is 544m long with a crew of five hundred. Prior to the Reaper War, the SAN was considering proposed light cruiser designs to replace the Tokyo, but post-war a combination of expenses including in-motion production, repairs and refits of current vessels and war debt has meant the Tokyo has remained as the Alliance’s light cruiser class. The Tokyo Class is currently being refitted with broadside Thanix cannons. Frigates 'Hastings: '''The ''Hastings Class is a mainstay of the Systems Alliance Navy due to its durability, proven reliability and a decent bite with a trio of two hundred and fifty metre mass accelerators and a sizeable bay of torpedos. Its competitive GARDIAN batteries, powerful engines and powerful sensor suite have allowed it to be a staple in the detection and interception of pirates. The Class is two hundred and seventy-eight metres in length with a crew of seventy. The Hastings Class is currently being retrofitted with ablative armour and Thanix weaponry, though it is still intended to be replaced by the Leipzig Class. 'Leipzig: '''The newest line of frigate, the ''Leipzig Class is destined to replace the Hastings Class as the SAN’s frontline combat frigate. The mass accelerators of its predecessor, the Hastings class, have been replaced with thanix cannons, the first class to be designed with Thanix weaponry. The Leipzig is smaller and cheaper than the Hastings, and has been hailed as a model of combat efficiency. The Leipzig is 250m with a crew of fifty-six. The Alliance plans to replace the Hastings with the Leipzig as early as 2205. The SSV Leipzig, the first vessel of the line, performed admirably in the Reaper War and further ships are under construction. 'Normandy: '''Developed in conjunction with the Turian Hierarchy, the Normandy Class is a revolutionary concept, as the class’s over-sized Tantalus drive core and heatsinks allow it to function in ‘stealth mode’, in which it is invisible to scanners. The Normandy Class is designed for deep scouting missions, operating solo reconnaissance in unstable regions; another role it has played during the Eden Prime and Reaper Wars has been the insertion of small special forces teams into hostile areas while in stealth mode. While originally criticized as overdesigned and ridiculously expensive, the Normandy Class has had an impressive track record. A small class, with a length of 130m and a crew of forty, the Normandy is armed with disruptor torpedos or small mass accelerators, though they are in the process of being refitted with Thanix weaponry. '''Chosin: '''The ''Chosin-class was first considered by the admiralty before the Reaper War, a proposed solution to lightly-armoured but hard-hitting Terminus designs such as the Mameluke. The Chosin is a designed shipkiller-lighter, cheaper and faster than a cruiser but more heavily armed and durable than the average frigate. In contrast to the normal escort and recon duties of the average frigate, the Chosin is specifically designed to intercept and destroy raiders and as such is armed with Thanix weaponry with heavy armour and strong shields so it may go toe-to-toe with heavier classes. The vessel is 338m long with a crew of one hundred and thirty. The first Chosin is undertaking its shakedown runs and if performance reviews are favourable, it is hoped another three Chosin vessels will be produced by 2196. Auxiliary Vessels 'Solace: '''The ''Solace-class hospital ship specialises in the treatment of the wounded during large scale operations in which the medical bays of combatant ships will not suffice. The size of a heavy cruiser, the Solace-class carries three and a half thousand hospital beds and a crew of four to five hundred depending on operational status. With extensive automation, surgery theatres and advanced medical facilities, the vessel is a FTL-capable hospital that can save the lives of troops anywhere in space. They carry modified Kodiak shuttles designed as medical transports to evacuate casualties to the ship and drones that may carry medigel and perform basic procedures on wounded such as setting a bone or suturing a wound. The Solace uses extensive VIs to monitor and manage large amounts of patients. All Alliance Solace-class ships are painted white in the tradition of Terran hospital ships, though unlike traditional hospital ships, they carry limited weaponry. This is justified as being necessary for a navy that operates against enemies that do not follow Earth Laws of War. In peacetime the Solace can be deployed during disasters. During the Reaper War, two Solace-class vessels, the SHSV Comfort and the SHSV Consolation were destroyed from within by indoctrinated wounded. Security was therefore tightened immensely aboard the vessels, almost to the point of paranoia. The Alliance’s remaining hospital ships were all present during the counterattack on Earth and after the fall of the Citadel, were the only medical facilities left available to the Alliance’s forces beyond such organisations as the Lifebearers and Galactic Red Cross. '''Sahara: ''Sahara''-class tankers are in essence large fuel tanks, enabling warships to be refuelled while on tour without being forced to return to fuel depots. The Sahara is three hundred and ninety-eight metres long, with a crew of thirty-five and is armed only with GARDIAN batteries. It has been criticised by some for being too slow to consistently outrun attackers and for handling ‘like its overdosing on red sand’ in the words of one of the reviewing captains. 'Niger: '''The ''Niger-class are in essence modified civilian freighters. Carrying only GARDIAN defence systems, these vessels have the sole purpose as acting as transport and replenishment ships for the Navy. The Niger carries supplies between Alliance worlds and to combat vessels, increasing the length of time they may remain in space. Due to their lack of weapons, they are easy prey for enemies, so they are escorted in frontier space. The Niger class is four hundred and fifty metres long and when fully loaded can carry about 150 000 tonnes of cargo. They carry a crew of only fifty. 'Ibn Battuta: '''The ''Ibn Battuta-class is a joint research-exploration vessel, lightly armed but containing four labs, sensory equipment, drones and a long range propulsion system. It carries a small Alliance crew and Marine detachment in addition to scientists and specialists, both military and civilian, and is tasked to explore unknown reaches of space or act as a portable research facility when necessary. In the aftermath of the Reaper War, these vessels have been extensively used to find new sources of building materials. 'Eyrie: '''These vessels are basically spaceworthy fabricators, able to fabricate materials and repair drones when necessary. They carry a small crew of thirty, along with drone operators and engineers. Their primary purpose is to deploy drones and materials for repairs in space on Alliance ships and orbital stations, though too severe damage may require a trip to the drydock. Quite small, they have robotic arms that can extend from the hull in addition to drones, in order to manipulate whatever they happen to be repairing. Unarmed and rarely seen outside of protected space or fleets. Small Spacecraft Small starships and aircraft currently in service. Corvettes '''D'Aguilar: '''The ''D'Aguilar-class is a lightly armed, lightly armoured corvette stuffed with imaging equipment and a crew of eight. Unlike a frigate, which has some bite to it, the D'Aguilar's main defence is its ability to run away as fast as possible when threatened. D'Aguilars may be used to scout planets and landscapes as well as conduct space recon where a frigate is unnecessary or unsuitable. A variant of the class is used for special forces purposes. 'Amazon: '''The ''Amazon-class is an assault and orbital artillery corvette, used to destroy orbital infrastructure during fleet action and to provide precision orbital support for ground forces. The Amazon carries a crew of fifteen, with the three main guns separate from the cabin to provide suitable living space and a small cargo bay. Newly built Amazons carry thanix cannons. They may also carry torpedoes or missiles magnetised to the hull. 'Glacier: '''The ''Glacier-class is a delivery vehicle used by N-branch operators for covert insertion and extraction. The vehicle is equipped with similar prototype stealth capabilities as its frigate counterpart, the Normandy-class. The vehicle can has a crew of five, and can fit in 10 N-branch operators. Dropships and Shuttles 'UT-47 Kodiak: '''The UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttle, nicknamed ‘Combat Cockroach’ by Alliance personnel, is the Alliance’s primary drop shuttle, with a capacity for fourteen people and two front-mounted cannons that can be used in a light gunship role. The Kodiak is quite durable and thoroughly tested in various hazardous environments. As a result, the shuttle is considered quite reliable. The UT-47A model boasts stealth technology and serves in a special forces and recon role. '''HT-77 Caiman: '''The HT-77 Caiman dropship is a solution to the problem of how to move vehicles and material from large ships to the planetary surface safely. The Caiman is large enough to carry cost efficient numbers of vehicles and material but small enough to fit within the shuttle bay of cruisers and capital ships. The Caiman is sectioned, with decks that can be raised and lowered, allowing different vehicles to be dropped at different altitudes. It is also used to move larger amounts of troops to the surface than can be by the Kodiak. However, the dropship is not particularly agile and must be supported with other craft, else it is very vulnerable to anti-air weaponry despite extensive armour plating. The Caiman is largely used as part of the assault stage of a battle, in which enemy forces are still present in the landing area and once on the ground, may be used as a temporary base of operations. '''LT-94 Vespers: '''The two main drawbacks of the Kodiak and Caiman are size and cost respectively. The Vespers transport is the answer to that. It is comparatively lightly armoured (therefore considerably cheaper) and quite large , usually only carried by a carrier, allowing a large amount of materiel and troops to be transferred from a fleet in orbit to the ground. Due to its light armour and armament, the Vespers is usually used once a beachhead or base has been established. During the Reaper War, the Vespers was not so jokingly named the ‘Combat Coffin’ by Alliance personnel, as heavy losses of Caiman and Kodiak craft forced Command to utilize the Vespers as part of assaults. This didn’t go so well. Fighters and Interceptors '''F-61 Trident: '''An agile, maneuverable spacecraft, the Trident has long been a staple of Alliance doctrine for years. However the Reaper War called into sharp focus the weaknesses of the design in large-scale anti-ship actions, as Trident squadrons took exceedingly high casualties. Post-war, it is hoped to reform fighter squadrons using Harpoon fighters and mechs, though the Trident interceptor design will remain in use due to its agility and excellent performance against Reaper Occuli. '''F-64 Harpoon: '''As part of a general reformation of the Alliance Navy’s defence doctrine, the F-64 Harpoon is seen as an attempt to improve upon past fighter designs and to render them viable as an effective anti-ship weapon against GARDIAN defences. The Harpoon has ablative armour to protect it from severe GARDIAN damage and is armed with a Thanix cannon specifically designed to be mounted on fighters, along with a complement of two Thanix missiles. However, the Harpoon’s design sacrifices the maneuverability of the F-61 Trident which means it may encounter problems when in combat with interceptors or unmanned mechs. Presently, the Harpoon has exited the prototype stage and is set to undergo its first performance trials. Depending on the success of these trials, the Alliance hopes to begin introducing the Harpoon into active service within the next five years. Gunships '''A-61 Mantis: '''The first model of the A-61 Mantis was rolled off turian assembly lines in 2170 and to this day, is one of the most popular gunship models throughout Citadel and Terminus space due to its tested performance and versatile modular design. The Mantis can be configured for various roles, though the Alliance primarily utilises it as a cheap, effective low-altitude light attack craft and transport. The Mantis is driven by vectored-thrust engines and has a small mass effect core to lighten its weight and reduce fuel consumption. It lacks a FTL drive and must be transported by shuttle or ship if long distance space travel is required. The Mantis is armed with missiles and an autocannon. Its defences include armoured plating, a kinetic barrier, a thermal decay system and an electronic countermeasures suite to confound surface-to-air weaponry. '''T-70 Bengal: '''The T-70 Bengal Heavy Gunship was developed after the First Contact War, when it quickly became apparent that more traditional aircraft would no longer suffice. The Bengal is less prevalent than the Mantis due to its size and cost compared to the other gunship, but it has considerably more firepower. The Bengal is equipped with two autocannons, banks of missiles and rockets and is heavily armoured. Despite having a mass effect core, the Bengal’s weight means it consumes more fuel than most other gunships, restricting its range and time in the air. Despite this, the Bengal is very proficient at its purpose and is capable of destroying even fortified buildings. The Bengal carries a crew of two and a VI. '''AH-11 Tarantula: '''Entering service in the 2170s as a replacement for the Barracuda, the Tarantula gunship has a high, sustainable speed. In essence, the Tarantula is a exceedingly fast flying gun with a rather cramped bay that can squeeze in a handful of troops if necessary but is really meant to carry extra ammunitions. Carries a crew of two. The Tarantula is primarily used in a quick reaction role. '''UT-9 Barracuda: '''An obsolete model of gunship, the Barracuda was once the Alliance's primary light attack craft. Carrying an autocannon and banks of missiles, it was phased out with the introduction of better vehicle shielding and electronic countermeasures. With the destruction of much of the Alliance's gunships, some Barracudas have been dusted off and returned to service. Ground Vehicles Light Armour '''M-35 Mako: '''The Mako is an IFV designed for rapid deployment, being small enough to fit inside a frigate and easily deployed to most worlds. The M-35 is armed with a 150mm mass accelerator and a coaxial machinegun to provide fire support and is famously tough, if hard to handle. It contains a small eezo core and thrusters, allowing it to reduce and increase mass as needed, safely drop from large heights and to extricate itself from difficult terrain. The Mako comes in IFV and APC versions, with the APC version armed only with the heavy machinegun, adding room for more troops. '''M-39 Sturgeon: '''The Sturgeon LSV is a different machine to the Mako, being quite small with only room for four Marines, lighter armour and only a machinegun for a weapon. However, the Sturgeon handles much better, is faster and copes well with difficult terrain. A scout vehicle, operated in patrols or mixed with heavier vehicles, the Sturgeon carries a sensory suit that can detect hostiles at a great distance, survey an area and even interface with drones in the area. Medium Armour and Utility Vehicles '''M-080: '''A large, more heavily armoured vehicle, the M-080 serves a variety of tasks. In assaults, it is used in conjunction with Makos and often makes up the heavier platoons of the Alliance’s armoured units. It comes in several varieties: the IFV, the APC which removes weapon systems for an armoured top, the light tank and the artillery truck version, which replaces both the troop bay and weapons systems for two missiles. The M-080 IFV variant is armed with a mass accelerator cannon and coaxial machinegun, similarly to the M-35, but is less prevalent in smaller vessels in the fleet due to its larger size. The light tank variant is armed with a larger cannon and several machineguns, trading the troop bay for more ammunition, more sophisticated weapons systems and heavier armour. '''M-111 Armoured Truck: '''A large, lightly-armoured and unarmed vehicle, the M-111 serves a simple purpose: getting Marines and all they need from point A to point B. A large vehicle, they can carry up to thirty Marines, including the driver. Post-war, these trucks are often seen on Earth, carrying Alliance personnel and building materials all over the planet’s ruined cities. Drones And Mechs '''S-11 Reconnaissance and Surveillance Atmospheric Drone (S-11 RSAD): '''The ‘Rook’, as nicknamed by its Navy operators, is a drone used to conduct recon and surveillance missions while mitigating the constraints of shipboard imaging and the risk of sending human personnel. The Rook is used to enter buildings, monitor enemy movements from a low altitude, locate targets for precision orbital strikes and other such tasks. The S-11’s onboard systems are dedicated almost exclusively to imaging (thermal, EM, nightvision etc.) and tactical systems, with its only armament a defensive shock. As such the Rook is never used in a fire support role, rather acting as a ‘spotter’ for larger drones and Alliance units. '''R-12 Fire Support Atmospheric Drone (R-12 FSAD): '''The R-12 FSAD drone is significantly larger than the Rook, armed with four mass accelerator machine guns and with inbuilt shield generators, allowing it to fulfil a fire support role assisting Marine units. While limited by VI programming, the Albatross is cheap and far more disposable than a Marine, and has seen increased use by the Alliance after their losses in the Reaper War. While its imaging systems are far more rudimentary than the Rook’s, it may interface with the smaller drones to increase combat effectiveness. '''R-25 Low Atmospheric Drone (R-25 LAD): '''The R-25 LAD is what most people think of when they think ‘Alliance drone’, due to its prevalence at bases and other Alliance facilities. There are several different models: the Advanced Assault (R-25 LAD-A), the Advanced Rocket(R-25 LAD-R) and Defence (R-25 LAD-D) varieties are commonly used by Alliance personnel. The LAD-A is armed with a single machine gun, the LAD-R is armed with a rocket launcher and the LAD-D carries a mass accelerator cannon. LAD-R and LAD-A drones are used as fire support in low-intensity conflicts, conduct patrols and are used to train Marines in combat scenarios. LAD-D drones are predominantly used to protect bases and other facilities-even civilians projects without Alliance guards. ''R-14 Shrike '''A-13 Anti-ship Unmanned Space Vehicle (A-13 AUSV): '''The A-13 AUSV is a recent design introduced as part of the fighter doctrine reformation. Armed with a Thanix cannon and torpedoes as well as ablative armour, this drone is an anti-ship attack craft. It is vulnerable compared to manned fighters in regards to interceptors, but less expensive to lose. The SSV ''Zheng He has received the first shipment of drones as part of a trial and pending feedback, the drones will be introduced to carriers throughout the Alliance fleet. Category:Systems Alliance Category:Ships and Vehicles Category:Military